Chapter 10: Heartbreak

14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

2 Corinthians 11:14

"You...." Zane whispered in a tone that was both horrified and disgusted. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?"

"Oh what's wrong Zane? Afraid of wittle old me?" Parnaz asked in a sickly sweet tone that both riled up Zane and made him wan to vomit at the same time.

"YES I AM AFRAID!" Zane shouted angrily. "YOU'RE THE REASON WHY I HAD TO MOVE TO ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL BACK IN GRADE 10!"

"Come on Zane, that was all in the past," she continued. "Don't you remember the fun we had together back in the day?"

"You mean those times when you stalked me and wouldn't leave me alone for weeks while also turning the students against me then YES I DO REMEMBER!"

"I'd keep quiet about that if I were you, can't have you waking up your fellow frat boys at a time like this?

"If you think you can keep doing this and expect me to stay quiet about this, YOU'RE OUT OF YOUR MIND! In fact, I'm calling the police RIGHT NOW!"

Just as Zane pulled out his phone and was about to dial 911, he heard a certain *click* noise and paused right then and there. As he turned back to Parnaz, he saw that she was holding a gun right at him while still smiling at him with those empty yet cruel eyes.

"W-What are you doing?" he asked nervously as he didn't know what to do next, prompting Parnaz to giggle in a manner that was both creepy and condescending.

"Oh you silly boy," she said. "You will do no such thing as I came prepared this time. I suggest that you put that down if you know what's good for you. Can't have you calling the police while your little girlfriend's life is on the line."

Zane's blood ran cold the moment he heard this and widened his eyes in shock with his skin also turning pale.

"What did you just say?" he asked in disbelief.

"Your little girlfriend?" Parnaz answered smugly. "Right, I forgot to mention. I was there when you were going on a date with, what was her name again? Oh now I remember, Hayley Espinoza. Cute name, though she made the mistake of taking what was rightfully mine."

"I was never yours nor will I EVER BE!" Zane snarled, prompting her to giggle once again.

"It's always so cute to see you play hard to get," Parnaz said before suddenly frowning. "But enough games. I want you to become mine whether you like it or not."

"You must be out of your damn mind if you think I'm going to just get together with you after what you did to me!"

"Yet I'm the one holding the gun to you. It's funny now neither the faculty nor the security system managed to get ahold of this thing for months. They really need to improve it if they're ever going to find out what's been going on behind their backs."

"Cut the crap! I'm NOT going to play by your rules! And why would you rope Hayley into this?!"

"Oh that. Well you see, I originally wanted to just keep following you and watch you like a hawk until you finally graduated. THAT was when I would have made my move while also making sure that no girl would try to get between us."

"So YOU were the one following me this whole time? I was wondering why I felt like someone was watching me for months and noticed you at almost every place that I went to."

"I'm so glad that you were able to notice me. Took you long enough didn't it?"

"That's not funny! Why are you doing this to me? What did I ever do to you?!"

"Because," Parnaz began as she began walking towards him, not dropping her gaze or her weapon the whole time. "I deserve to have the very best. I deserve to have anyone that I please and I NEVER take no for an answer. I also deserve to have a wonderfully handsome boyfriend and maybe future husband if possible."

"You're out of your mind!"

"Maybe, but it's helped me get this far so it's not all THAT bad. Besides, you have no say in the matter because I have your little girlfriend right where I want her."

"What do you mean by that?"

Parnaz's smile grew more deranged and sadistic as she shocked Zane with her next piece of information.

"I live in the same dorm room as Hayley does and my room is right across from hers. You do the math."

Zane could only look on in horror over what he had just heard and felt his stomach drop. He didn't consider the possibility of Parnaz being THAT close to Hayley and being able to lord her safety over him.

"You... you wouldn't..." Zane stammered in fear, prompting Parnaz to sneer in response.

"Would I, Zane?" Parnaz asked in a faux innocent tone. "I also know how to pick locks you know? Wouldn't be too difficult for me to sneak in her room at night and slit her throat if I could."

"NO! I WON'T LET YOU!" Zane shouted in rage as he pushed Parnaz back onto the ground. "YOU STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM HER! YOU HEAR ME!?"

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Parnaz responded as she got back up while dusting off her clothes. "If you want her to keep breathing, I suggest you break up with her and become my pet."

"And if I don't?" Zane asked despite his fears.

"I'll kill everyone you love," she stated in a cold tone that sent shivers down his spine. "Hayley, your friends, even your parents if I have to. I have the skills and connections that could help me get out of trouble. I'm also a very good sweet talker in case you forgot."

"Right, I remember," Zane growled as he recalled how Parnaz was able to manipulate the students into believing that Zane broke her heart and cheated on her with other girls along with utilizing the double standard of victim blaming.

"So I suggest you be nice to me and dump her. Preferably, tomorrow if you will," Parnaz said. "Also if I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut regarding this whole thing and don't even think of telling your loved ones about me or our little meeting lest you want to find them dead the next day."

As she said this, she gave a small peck to Zane, causing him to widen his eyes in shock before pushing her away from him yet again. As she stumbled back, he quickly wiped his lips and tried to spit out the taste of her lips on his in disgust before glaring at her. She merely giggled in a coquettish manner before placing her gun back in her bag and turned around to head home.

"Well, I'm off," Parnaz said in a flippant tone. "Have to get some beauty sleep. Plus, biology class is also tomorrow at 10 in the morning. Can't miss that can I?"

"Damn you Parnaz!" Zane cursed, prompting her to grin at him before blowing a mocking kiss as she walked back to her dorm.

Zane could only groan in frustration and fear as he opened the door to his house and walked inside. As he kicked off his shoes and stomped back into his bedroom, he could only sit on his bed and reflect on what just happened. Zane couldn't believe this was happening. He finally got to confess his love for the girl that he had been crushing on for months and even managed to score a date with her only for that to be ruined by Parnaz. It was bad enough that the stalker from his high school days ended up tracking him down in Emerald College of all places but the fact that he couldn't even tell anyone about his predicament lest Parnaz kill Hayley made things even more complicated.

"What am I going to do?!" he said to himself as he paced in his bedroom. "If I tell anyone about her, Hayley's life will be in danger. Not to mention, I'll be stuck with that psycho for the rest of my life!"

Suddenly, his phone started ringing, prompting him to nervously pick it up. Once he did answer it, his stomach sank once he heard that same ugly voice on the other line.

"Good night Zane," Parnaz said while still talking in her sickly sweet tone that made Zane want to vomit. "I'll be seeing you tomorrow at the dorm around 6. Don't be late."

Once she hung up, he could only lie back in agony and defeat. He didn't get much sleep that night after being forced to experience that horrible meeting.

The next day, Zane went through his classes as usual but he could barely focus due to his fears of Parnaz being anywhere. After an almost excruciating day of waiting, Zane was able to force himself to walk to Hayley's dorm despite how sick it was making him feel. The fact that Parnaz herself was there this whole time and could have killed her along with her friends made him almost throw up in both fear and disgust.

"I'm sorry Hayley," he said while trying not to cry at the idea of breaking up with her.

Once he finally arrived at the entrance, he spotted Hayley and was relieved to see her only for his heart to almost stop when he saw who was beside her. There was Parnaz herself, talking with Hayley as if she wasn't planning to kill her in her sleep. The fact that she was able to talk with her so casually and in that annoying voice of hers made Zane's blood boil. When Hayley spotted Zane, she happily waved to him to which he waved back despite his nervousness over seeing Parnaz with her.

"Hey Zane! How are you doing?" she asked him.

"Pretty good," Zane said with a rather forced smile that Hayley didn't seem to notice. "Listen, Hayley. There's something I've been meaning to tell you."

"Sure, but before you do that," Hayley responded, completely oblivious over his nervousness. "I'd like to introduce you to my new friend, Paola Rubenstein! She's a fan of the Cabell Family series too and has so much knowledge to share with us! We should definitely invite her to join us for our talk at the café this coming Saturday!"

"Oh I'd love to join you guys!" 'Paola' said in her sickly sweet tone. "I've been meaning to find my people for so long."

"I hear you," Hayley said with a giggle.

"That's nice and all but I don't think you'll want to see me this Saturday," Zane said, prompting Hayley to look on in concern.

"Why not?" Hayley asked. "Do you have homework or something?"

Zane could only suck in air through his teeth before sighing as he gave Hayley a rather somber look.

"No, it's because.... I want to break up with you," he said, leaving Hayley shocked. 'Paola' also looked on in shock over what just happened.

"W-What?" Hayley asked in a wobbly tone.

"You heard me," Zane said in a bitter tone that was more aimed at Parnaz. "I... I don't think this is going to work out between us."

"B-But why? YOU SAID YOU LOVED ME!"

"I only did it because I felt sorry for you, not because I actually liked you. To be honest, there is actually another girl I was interested in until you showed up and confessed your love to me. Sorry it had to end this way."

Hayley couldn't believe what she was hearing and started to tear up before scowling at him.

"Then... was everything you said.... a complete lie?" she demanded while struggling to keep her voice steady, breaking Zane's heart even more. After a tense yet heavy silence, Zane finally answered.

"Yes, it was."

Hayley's eyes widened in shock and devastation while 'Paola' looked on in sympathy (though in reality she was quite pleased to see this happening). This was just like what happened between her father and mother only this time, Hayley was now experiencing it for herself. I can't believe it, Hayley thought to herself. Mother was right all along!

*SLAP*

Zane once again felt the strong palm of Hayley smack across his face, though this time he was able to keep himself standing instead of falling over like before. Hayley burst into tears as she did this while proceeding to scream at him over what he had done.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" she screamed in agony and heartbreak. "I TRUSTED YOU AND CONFIDED IN YOU! I HATE YOU! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU IN MY LIFE EVER AGAIN!" As she said this, she ran back into the dorm with tears streaming down her face, leaving 'Paola' and Zane all alone. After a few seconds of silence over what had occurred, Zane began to hear the deranged laughter of Parnaz and glared at her as she continued to mock him.

"It's hilarious," she sneered. "You were so close to making her realize that not all men are scum and yet you singlehandedly proceeded to ruin all of that. It's pathetic."

Zane couldn't take it anymore and proceeded to grab her by her collar before pinning her against the wall.

"You bitch!" he growled in fury. "YOU caused this! YOU ruined everything between us! What is wrong with you?! How could you find this hilarious!"

"Because I finally get to have you all by myself," Parnaz said mockingly. "Also, if you don't want me to report you for assault, I suggest that you let go of me and take me on a date within a week. Is that clear?"

Zane growled before reluctantly letting her go but not before continuing to glare at her with sheer hatred.

"You won't get away with this," he warned her in a cold tone. "People will find out about you eventually. They all will. Even Hayley!"

"Oh but that's the thing," she mocked. "They never find out. They never want to hear about women like me. We ALWAYS get away with this kind of stuff because we are always seen as the 'innocent damsels in distress stuck in a patriarchal society' therefore we are entitled to have whatever we please. You hear in the news about it almost every day about women getting abused and assaulted in so many horrific ways yet nobody cares about what men have to say when experiencing stuff like that. It's actually quite hilarious if you think about it."

"Shut up," Zane snarled before Parnaz continued to laugh.

"Why should I? It's the TRUTH isn't it?" she sneered. "Oh Zane, you'll have to accept that the truth hurts no matter what. Anyways, must dash. Must get my beauty sleep if I'm to head to class for the rest of my week. Oh and don't forget about our date, sweetheart."

"Don't... call me that," he responded in defeat as he found himself agreeing with her, albeit very reluctantly, while Parnaz merely blew him a kiss before heading back inside.

Zane was left all alone while the sky turned dark before he ran back to his house with silent tears streaming down his face. As soon as he arrived at home, he made sure that nobody was there to see him like this before finally letting out a loud scream of agony in the night.